"…Bakushin! Bakushin! Pig-headed full steam ahead!!!"
Morning.
A sakura-colored figure shouted as she dashed along the street's horse-girl lane, voice brimming with energy.
Sakura Bakushin O's heart was full of excitement. Today was her first day entering Central Tracen Academy—which meant she would finally begin life as an adult horse girl preparing for real races!
Three years ago, she had attended her elder sister Sakura Chiyono O's Japan Derby. In that race, Chiyono O's do-or-die run burned into her heart. From that day, Bakushin secretly vowed:
She too would, like her sisters, explode onto the Derby and seize the realm of Japan's horse-girl world!
"Hahahaha! Bakushin!"
Just picturing her heroic figure running the Derby made Bakushin shout with glee again, drawing amused looks from passersby as she sped by.
"Ah, I almost forgot! Sis told me to go pick some people up!"
Remembering the errand from Chiyono O as she left home, Bakushin skidded to a halt, bounced to the curb, and looked around for the station—
For the station—
The station—
Uh… where was the Shinkansen station again?
"Whatever. If I just run I'll find it. Ba! Kushin!"
The sakura-haired girl shook her head, quit thinking, and exploded off like an arrow, sprinting along the street—
—Only a few meters out, a hand shot out to grab her and forcibly stop her.
"Is this her?" Oguri stuffed the taiyaki in her left hand into her mouth and asked the old man beside her, muffled.
"Haha, Chiyono O said exactly this little lass. Good thing you grabbed her, Oguri—or who knows where she'd have run to."
Rokuhira laughed.
"You're… Sakura Bakushin O?"
Following the two came Stardust Mirage, who recognized the familiar figure.
Though she hadn't debuted yet, in Stardust's previous life Bakushin was a newbie's best friend who had accompanied her for a long time—so she recognized the owner of that broad forehead at a glance.
"Eh? You know me?"
Stardust found the puzzled look amusing but quickly sobered.
This horse girl's catchphrase was "Bakushin," and she was a bit pure of mind—but a good person who liked to help others.
Following Oguri and Rokuhira into Tokyo, she'd been told they had to meet another horse girl before heading to Central. A few steps out of the station, the "Bakushin!" shout had caught their ears. Confirmed: their target was this broad-foreheaded girl—Sakura Bakushin O.
Thinking so, Stardust turned to see what the old man would say, when Bakushin's eyes suddenly lit up—as if she'd figured something out—and she rushed in to seize both of Stardust's hands.
Even with her reflexes, Stardust was startled by the sudden bakushin.
Then Bakushin thrust that broad forehead close, eyes sparkling sakura-pink with expectation, and said, "Are you my fan?! Hahaha, then I'll have to give you a Baku-signature!"
What is a Baku-signature—Bakushin signature?
Embarrassed and failing to pull free from her surprisingly strong grip, and with the other two just watching the show, Stardust had to make something up:
"Right, I've always loved watching the Sakura family's races—so exciting!"
"Sakura Hokuto O, Sakura Chiyono O, Sakura Yutaka O, Sakura Hoshi O—they're all strong horse girls. The races they run… um, how to say… they have a kind of beauty in their intensity!"
Halfway through, she realized she couldn't remember the specifics, only that Chiyono O had seized the Derby in the timeline where Oguri didn't run. If she kept going, she'd give herself away, so she changed the subject fast:
"What about you, Bakushin? You're entering Central Tracen this year like me?"
"Mm! You're amazing—you know my sisters! Ba! Kushin! Bakushin bakushin!!!"
Bakushin could hardly believe this horse girl knew her family so well. She spun in place, shouting with excitement.
Halfway through the spin, she remembered the other had not introduced herself and asked:
"—Right, what's your name?"
"I'm Stardust Mirage. These two are Oguri Cap and trainer Rokuhira Ginjiro." Stardust seized the chance to introduce the three.
In just this short exchange, she was drenched with sweat. Try to talk seriously and Bakushin wouldn't listen; tell two casual lies and she believed with all her heart—her conscience stung either way.
And those two wouldn't help!
She shot the old man a fierce glare.
She didn't dare overstep with Oguri. If she triggered the monster mode and got crushed by sheer presence, that would be mortifying.
"Oh! Hello, everyone! I'm Sakura Bakushin O of the Sakura family. I'm entering Central Tracen this year!"
Bakushin greeted them again with full energy—but showed no special reaction to Oguri, as if she didn't recognize the world-famous horse girl at all.
"That's right. You two freshmen should get close," the old man said breezily, waving his hand. "Chiyono O was Oguri's classmate, so she asked us to take you to register."
"Eh? But Sis told me to pick up three people, and I haven't found them yet!"
Rokuhira, Stardust, and Oguri: "…"
"A-anyway, come with us. The old man will explain to Chiyono O."
Stardust couldn't bear to let Bakushin realize she hadn't recognized the very people she was to pick up. "You're starting this year, right? Any target races?"
"Explode in the Derby!" she answered without a heartbeat's pause.
"…"
Stardust fell silent again. With her knowledge, she knew Bakushin was a short-distance queen—yet her initial goal was the Derby?
Would she soon be tricked by a sketchy trainer into running sprints—and believe the lie that three 1200m add up to 3600m?
She knew Bakushin was easy to fool, but this was too pure…
Great. Now she felt guilty for fooling her earlier!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much for reading until the end.
If you'd like to read more, you can Joining to my Patreon.
My Patreon: p*treon*com/Hydran_Tea
Chainsaw Man: The Covenant of Flame Demon [ 121 Chapter ]
Uma Musume: Wait—you want me to pop my Christmas Hat Ultimate? [ 110 Chapter ]